David Johnson, Melvin Gordon, LeGarrette Blount, C.J. Anderson. Those have been the busiest players around the goal line so far. They’ve been the guys who’ve gotten the most carries inside the 5.
In the case of C.J. Anderson, it’s an indication of how good Devontae Booker could be in the second half of the season. He’s a good back, and he might get 80-plus percent of the carries in that backfield now.
Meanwhile, two of the league’s most heralded running backs have been the least effective in that part of the field. Todd Gurley has carried the ball 7 times when the Rams have been inside the 5; those carries have resulted in a grand total of 0 yards. Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t been much more effective, with his 6 carries going for a total of 1 yard.
Here’s all the carries for all players so far. The final column – “EZ” – is a combination of touchdowns and 2-point conversions (End zone).
| RUSHING INSIDE 5 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | EZ |
| D.Johnson, ARZ | 14 | 30 | 2.1 | 7 |
| M.Gordon, SD | 11 | 17 | 1.5 | 7 |
| L.Blount, NE | 10 | 15 | 1.5 | 5 |
| C.Anderson, DEN | 9 | 9 | 1.0 | 3 |
| D.Murray, TEN | 8 | 9 | 1.1 | 5 |
| M.Forte, NYJ | 8 | 8 | 1.0 | 3 |
| C.Michael, SEA | 7 | 9 | 1.3 | 2 |
| L.McCoy, BUF | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | 3 |
| R.Mathews, PHI | 7 | 5 | .7 | 3 |
| T.Gurley, LA | 7 | 0 | .0 | 3 |
| T.West, BLT | 7 | 7 | 1.0 | 3 |
| E.Elliott, DAL | 6 | 1 | .2 | 2 |
| C.Hyde, SF | 5 | 7 | 1.4 | 4 |
| I.Crowell, CLV | 5 | 12 | 2.4 | 3 |
| J.Hill, CIN | 5 | 3 | .6 | 2 |
| S.Ware, KC | 5 | 4 | .8 | 2 |
| C.Newton, CAR | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 4 |
| D.Freeman, ATL | 4 | -2 | -.5 | 1 |
| J.Ajayi, MIA | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 3 |
| J.Howard, CHI | 4 | 1 | .3 | 1 |
| J.Langford, CHI | 4 | 6 | 1.5 | 2 |
| R.Turbin, IND | 4 | 8 | 2.0 | 2 |
| C.Ivory, JAX | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 1 |
| C.Sims, TB | 3 | 2 | .7 | 1 |
| D.Washington, DET | 3 | 0 | .0 | 1 |
| E.Lacy, GB | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 |
| F.Gore, IND | 3 | 2 | .7 | 1 |
| G.Bernard, CIN | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 1 |
| J.Kuhn, NO | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 3 |
| J.McKinnon, MIN | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 2 |
| J.Olawale, OAK | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 2 |
| J.Stewart, CAR | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 2 |
| L.Murray, OAK | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 2 |
| M.Asiata, MIN | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 2 |
| M.Ingram, NO | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 2 |
| M.Jones, WAS | 3 | 2 | .7 | 2 |
| O.Darkwa, NYG | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 2 |
| R.Jennings, NYG | 3 | 1 | .3 | 1 |
| S.Vereen, NYG | 3 | 1 | .3 | 1 |
| Z.Zenner, DET | 3 | -4 | -1.3 | 1 |
| A.Foster, MIA | 2 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| A.Janovich, DEN | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 |
| A.Morris, DAL | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 2 |
| B.Gabbert, SF | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 |
| C.Johnson, ARZ | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 1 |
| C.Keenum, LA | 2 | 1 | .5 | 1 |
| C.Thompson, WAS | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 |
| D.Booker, DEN | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 1 |
| D.Prescott, DAL | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 2 |
| D.Washington, OAK | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 |
| D.Williams, PIT | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 1 |
| J.Charles, KC | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 1 |
| J.Flacco, BLT | 2 | 1 | .5 | 1 |
| J.Starks, GB | 2 | -6 | -3.0 | 0 |
| L.Miller, HST | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 |
| R.Tannehill, MIA | 2 | 0 | .0 | 1 |
| T.Coleman, ATL | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 2 |
| T.Riddick, DET | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 |
| T.Taylor, BUF | 2 | -3 | -1.5 | 0 |
| W.Smallwood, PHI | 2 | 1 | .5 | 1 |
| A.Collins, SEA | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| A.Dalton, CIN | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| A.Rodgers, GB | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 0 |
| A.Smith, KC | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| B.Bortles, JAX | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| C.Artis-Payne, CAR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| C.Fleener, NO | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| C.Kessler, CLV | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 |
| C.Wentz, PHI | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| D.Lasco, NO | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 |
| D.Poe, KC | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| D.Williams, MIA | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| J.Rodgers, TB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | 0 |
| K.Cousins, WAS | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 0 |
| L.Dunbar, DAL | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| M.Davis, SF | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 1 |
| M.Gillislee, BUF | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 |
| M.Mariota, TEN | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 |
| M.Ryan, ATL | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 |
| M.Stafford, DET | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| M.Tolbert, CAR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 |
| R.Bush, BUF | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 |
| R.Cobb, GB | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| R.Fitzpatrick, NYJ | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 |
| R.Kelley, WAS | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| S.Draughn, SF | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 1 |
| T.Brady, NE | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| T.Montgomery, GB | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| T.Pryor, CLV | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 1 |
| T.Siemian, DEN | 1 | 0 | .0 | 0 |
| T.Yeldon, JAX | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 |
—Ian Allan